A review by withlivjones
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I am a sucker for the found family trope and this book does it PERFECTLY. I loved all the characters on the Wayfarer and while I’m normally more of a plot girlie I wasn’t mad about the fact that most of this book is focused on exploring the relationships between the crew on this long journey. This is a masterclass in character creation, as every crew member gets their moment in the spotlight to uncover their demons and by the end you feel attached to every one of them (even Corbin, who is objectively an asshole). I loved the diversity in appearance, language, ideologies and family dynamics amongst all the alien species, it felt realistic in terms of how different life that evolved outside of Earth would be to humanity, and I really like the sentiment of accepting people regardless of their differences, even if you don’t fully understand them. This book embodies cozy sci-fi, but that’s certainly not to say that it doesn’t have its tense moments - there were parts of this book that had me on the edge of my seat, gaping! - and there’s a good balance between the cozy bits and the action bits. I loved it! 
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